Following the success of the Emily by The Kooples bag, co-designed with Emily Ratajkowski, The Kooples has called upon not one, but two new collaborators to create a handbag. Irina Shayk and Stella Maxwell have both channelled their vision of femininity into two complementing designs that represent both their individual styles and the two traits of The Kooples woman: trend-conscious yet timeless.

“The Kooples is such a young, sexy and cool brand,” Maxwell told Vogue of working with the design team in Paris. “The team know exactly how to appeal to different styles, and our bags definitely match our own unique tastes, so it was a really interesting process.”

The Stella by The Kooples bag taps into the rock’n’roll aesthetic of both the New Zealand-born model and the brand. The soft calfskin silhouette, embellished with pyramid quilting and top stitches with jewel detailing, is inspired by nightlife and taking off-duty streetwear influences into after-hours territory. The metal handle and magnetic medallion clasp mean the bag looks elevated whatever time you wear it, while three variable sizes with multiple pockets mean that all outfit options and eventualities are covered. “There was no limit in the creative possibilities throughout the whole process, I learnt so much,” Maxwell said of how she finessed the Stella.

The Irina by The Kooples bag, in contrast, was conceived for the girl on the move. Encased in the soft-grained leather is a concealed mirror, while the outer marries style with functionality by way of metallic hardware, a padlock and key. “What I love about the brand is that it’s real,” Shayk explained. “It uses real couples, and the pieces are so easy to wear. I wanted my bag to be just as approachable.” The Irina comes in three sizes – mini, medium and maxi – and additional leopard print and studded exteriors to make it extra accessible to Kooples fans. “It’s so great to represent something that people can not only afford, but wear all the time,” the Russian model added.

The Stella by The Kooples and Irina by The Kooples AW18 collections will be available in stores and on TheKooples.co.uk from September 2018.